Team working sat at the heart of the unit learning outcomes in these design projects, yet it was hard to show how well students actually worked together. Peer assessment was mostly a way to divide marks, and without a clear view of group dynamics, staff and students often noticed participation problems too late to act on them.

Stuart Scott built Group Member Evaluation into design project units across Year 2, Year 3 and the MSc. Each project has its own set up and rhythm, from a shorter project in Year 2 to a longer one in Year 3, with a clear split between formative and summative moments in the MSc.

Students evaluate their group members regularly throughout each project, and written feedback is required alongside every rating. A Feedback on Feedback step asks them to reflect on the quality and impact of what they received. Early formative rounds let students speak freely, because their comments do not yet affect grades, while the later summative rounds carry more weight.

Rather than a standalone marking tool, the evaluations became one piece of evidence in a wider process that students manage themselves when a group runs into trouble. The teaching team could compare how students rated themselves with how their group rated them, which showed whether a problem was individual or shared and made supportive conversations much easier.

Many groups now use peer evaluation constructively, and students understand better why it matters for their own contribution and for the whole team. The team keeps refining the design, and has already simplified the rubric based on student feedback.